New Book Releases This Week: January 7-January 13 2025

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Travis Williamson

Editor in chief

Published

January 7, 2025

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beg, borrow, or steal book cover

Beg, Borrow, or Steal

Author

Sarah Adams

Genres

Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Adult, Chick Lit

Series

When in Rome #3

Publication date

January 7, 2025

Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in thisย newย rivals-to-lovers romanceย set in Rome, Kentuckyโ€”fromย theย New York Timesย bestselling author ofย The Rule Bookย andย Practice Makes Perfect.

โ€œSarah Adams writes books with heart and soul. They speak to the people finding their way and being unapologetically themselves in the process. I love her style.โ€โ€”Hannah Grace, author ofย Icebreaker

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. Heโ€™s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancรฉe. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jackโ€™s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but heโ€™s here to stayโ€”as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes heโ€™s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something heโ€™s even more excited aboutโ€”thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their schoolโ€™s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jackโ€”she hates to admitโ€”is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?


immortal-book-cover

Immortal

Author

Sue Lynn Tan

Genres

Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Fiction, Retellings, Adult

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

โ€œWhat the gods did not give us, I would take.โ€

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdomโ€™s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyenโ€™s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfatherโ€™s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdomโ€™s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between themโ€”one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortalโ€ฆ even if it means losing her heart.


Stolen Queen Book Cover

The Stolen Queen

Author

Fiona Davis

Genres

Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adult, Adventure

Publication date

January 7, 2025

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York Cityโ€™s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egyptโ€™s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, whoโ€™s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the โ€œparty of the year.โ€ Though Annie soon realizes sheโ€™ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Dianaโ€™s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Metโ€™s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. Sheโ€™s consumed with her research on Hathorkareโ€”a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collectionโ€™s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkareโ€™s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore sheโ€™d never return: Egypt. But if theyโ€™re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her pastโ€”which may mean leading them both directly into danger.


A Sea of Unspoken Things

A Sea of Unspoken Things

Author

Adrienne Young

Genres

Fantasy, Mystery, Magical Realism, Thriller, Adult

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A woman investigates her brother’s mysterious death while coming to terms with her own haunting past in this atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow

The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, Jamesโ€™s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuitionโ€”she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that sheโ€™s aloneโ€”truly aloneโ€”for the first time in her life. 

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brotherโ€™s affairs, sheโ€™s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. Heโ€™s also the only man sheโ€™s ever loved. 

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isnโ€™t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and heโ€™s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnnyโ€™s death, but in the end, sheโ€™ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.


The Starlight Heir cover

The Starlight Heir

Author

Amalie Howard

Genres

Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Mythology, Fiction

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new romantasy that will leave you spellbound.

โ€œHis Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.โ€

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saabโ€™s forge, she believes itโ€™s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmithโ€”one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realmโ€”but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imaginedโ€”and fraught with danger. Itโ€™s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interestโ€ฆand her ire. The invitation isnโ€™t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeperโ€”a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.


Breath of the Dragon

Breath of the Dragon

Author

Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee

Genres

Young Adult, Dragons, Fiction, High Fantasy

Series

Breathmarked # 1

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardianโ€™s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Heaven to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his fatherโ€™s prideโ€•righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Junโ€™s father strictly forbids him from participating. He believes there is no future in Jun honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself and the very survival of everyone he cares about.


The Heart of Winter cover

The Heart of Winter

Author

Jonathan Evison

Genres

Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

Publication date

January 7, 2025

The extraordinary new novel by Jonathan Evison, about a married couple in their golden years, from when they met across big ups, deep downs, and survive-it-all, opposites-attract love

Abe Winter and Ruth Warneke were never meant to be togetherโ€”at least if you ask Ruth. Yet their catastrophic blind date in college evolved into a seventy-year marriage and a life on a farm on Bainbridge Island with their hens and beloved Labrador, Megs. Through the years, the Winters have fallen in and out of lockstep, and from their haunting losses and guarded secrets, a dependable partnership has been forged.

But when Ruthโ€™s loose tooth turns out to be something much more malicious, the beautiful, reliable life theyโ€™ve created together comes to a crisis. As Ruth struggles with her crumbling independence, Abe must learn how to take care of her while their three living children question his ability to look after his wife. And once again, the couple has to reconfigure how to be there for each other.

In this bighearted and profound portrait of a marriage, Jonathan Evison explores seventy years of big moments in subtle ways, elegantly braiding the Wintersโ€™ turbulent history with their present-day battles, showing us how the oddly paired college kids became parents, fell apart and back together, and grew into the Abe and Ruth of today. Endlessly heartwarming and moving,ย The Heart of Winterย is a reminder that true love lives in small, everyday moments.


Temple of Swoon

Temple of Swoon

Author

Jo Segura

Genres

Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction

Publication date

January 7, 2025

Her mission: find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon rainforest.
His mission: protect the holy temple . . . and his heart.

While her mentor may be the worldโ€™s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to her colleagues that sheโ€™s capableโ€”and hopefully prove it to herself, too.

Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, thatโ€™s what they think heโ€™s doing. Rafaโ€™s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach the Cidade da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his motherโ€™s legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path.

If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasnโ€™t so damn tenaciousโ€”each of Rafaโ€™s tricks and purposeful wrong turns only seem to fuel her determination. Even worse, heโ€™s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But theyโ€™re not the only crew hunting for the lost city, and soon the untamed jungleโ€”and their untamed heartsโ€”might be the least of their worries…


The Lodge Cover

The Lodge

Author

Kayla Olson

Genres

Romance, Christmas, Contemporary, Holiday, Adult

Publication date

January 7, 2025

From the author ofย The Reunion, a cozy rom-com about a writer who decamps to a Vermont lodge for work but finds herself distracted by the charming ski instructor next door.

Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment.

Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream jobโ€”after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her clientโ€™s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story.

But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alixโ€™s work takes a complicated turnโ€”and the mystery of True Northโ€™s downfall may be hers to solve.


Four Ruined Realms Cover

Four Ruined Realms

Author

Mai Corland

Genres

Fantasy, Romantasy, Adult, LGBT, Queer, Fiction

Series

The Broken Blades #2

Publication date

January 7, 2025

The King of Yusan may be the greatest liar of them all.

His sisterโ€™s ring is in his sights, and he will do anything to get what he wants. Even manipulating the five blades to steal it…

Bonded by a common enemy, then divided by deceit, the blades must rely on their skills to pull off King Joonโ€™s pursuit or risk his legendary wrath.

A foreign rule of law stands between them and Quilimar, the Queen of Khitan. Now they have one month to steal the powerful Golden Ring of the Dragon Lord. But that impossible task might be easier than trusting one another, even though their lives, their families, and the realms depend on it.

They can all agree on one thing: the king canโ€™t win. But can they beat him at his own game?

Because for the blades, this time itโ€™s not just personal, itโ€™s revenge. Lies may have torn them apart, but now vengeance will bring them together.


For One Night Only Cover

For One Night Only

Author

Jessica James

Genres

Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Queer, LGBT, Fiction

Publication date

January 7, 2025

GLITTER BATS REUNION CONCERTโ€”SOLD OUT!

When two former bandmatesโ€”and bedmatesโ€”are thrust back into each other’s lives in a fake dating scheme for publicity, they’ll be forced to face the music.

After her recurring role in tabloid headlines, Valerie Quinnโ€™s musical TV show is on the network chopping block. Desperate for good press, she hastily reassembles her wildly beloved pop punk band, Glitter Bats. A reunion concert could be the former lead vocalistโ€™s ticket to a media makeover, especially if it renews public speculation around her iconic situationship with bassist Caleb Sloane.

The only problem? They havenโ€™t spoken in six years.

Caleb had the makings of a rock god, but fallout from the messy Glitter Bats breakup left him broke, anxious, and resentful of the industry. But when Valerie shows up at Calebโ€™s doorstep with that devastating smile and a plea for help, he reluctantly agrees to put on one last show.

So what if the fandom assumes the two of them are back together too? Theyโ€™ll play along. You know…for the press.

Making music together not only revives the harmony between them, but also the discord that led to the bandโ€™s downfall. With their futuresโ€”and the Glitter Batsโ€”in the balance, can they survive a romantic reprise?


Mother of Rome cover

Mother of Rome

Author

Lauren J.A. Bear

Genres

Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings, Adult, Greek Mythology, Ancient History

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A powerful and fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of historyโ€™s greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.

The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sonsโ€™ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children.

But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.

Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it allโ€”until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.

Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh.

Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her lifeโ€ฆand her beloved land.

To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon natureโ€™s mightiest force โ€“ a motherโ€™s love โ€“ andย fight.

All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.


Royal Heirs Academy cover

Royal Heirs Academy

Author

Lindsey Duga

Genres

Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Boarding School

Publication date

January 7, 2025

In this story filled with โ€œromantic tension, royal drama, and family secretsโ€ (Kristy Boyce), four teens living in a glamorous boarding school must compete in order to inherit a European kingdom. Perfect for fans of Elite and Maxton Hallโ€”The World Between Us.  

For fifty years, King Leander Eldana has ruled Ashland without naming an heir to the crown. After sending away his grandchildren to be raised out of the public eye, itโ€™s finally time to secure his nationโ€™s future by appointing one definitive heir. The best way to appraise his successor? In the halls of Almus Terra Academy, a boarding school infamous for breeding the worldโ€™s next generation of leadersโ€”and liars.

Titus Eldana has always known heโ€™d inherit Ashlandโ€™s future. Now he must prove he has what it takes. Alaric Eldana was not raised with a silver spoon. His secondhand clothes might not be fit for a king, but he knows how to rule: with his fist. Emmeline Eldana only wants to please her neglectful parents. If that means securing the crown, she wonโ€™t hesitate to destroy anyone in her way. Sadie Aurelia has no idea why sheโ€™s been given a chance to bring new blood to the throne. With nothing left to lose back home, sheโ€™s ready to take it. 

Filled with competition, secret alliances, enemies-to-lovers romance, and cunning revenge, Royal Heirs Academy is a breathless, entertaining read set in modern-day. This gossip-filled school for the global elite is inspired by UWC of the Atlantic, which Vanity Fair has described as “Hippie Hogwarts.”

For fans of the breakout television hits Elite and Maxton Hallโ€”The World Between Us.


After Life cover

After Life

Author

Gayle Forman

Genres

Young Adult, Death, Contemporary

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

“Gayle Forman has an uncanny ability to create characters in which we see ourselves, and her latestโ€”which looks at where love goes, after a lossโ€”is an honest, heartbreaking elegy to how memory makes relationships eternal.” 

โ€”Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“I was consumed by this thought-provoking, deftly written, multilayered novel. Gayle Forman reigns as the queen of breaking hearts with a touch of magic.”

โ€”Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. Itโ€™s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amberโ€™s mom sees her, she screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle sheโ€™s inexplicably riding now. 

This return doesnโ€™t only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amberโ€™s estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amberโ€™s friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyoneโ€™s turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.


Lies on the Serpent's Tongue cover

Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue

Author

Kate Pearsall

Genres

Young Adult, Death, Contemporary

Series

Bittersweet in the Hollow #2

Publication date

January 7, 2025

In this haunting companion toย Bittersweet in the Hollow,ย a girl who can smell the lies of others uncovers the incendiary mysteries of her small Appalachian town.

Everybody lies. And in knowing their lies, I become the keeper of their secrets.

As Caball Hollow slowly recovers from a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.

18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truthsโ€”thatโ€™s what happens when you can smell lies on the tellerโ€™s breathโ€”and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long struggled with her gift, which has taught her that everyone distorts the truth, and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old rival Hadrian Fitch shows up on her front porchโ€”bloodied and bruised and asking for the kind of help only she can provideโ€”her first instinct is distrust.

Except Hadrianโ€™s attack isnโ€™t the only strange occurrence. Now small items are disappearing, but rather than report the losses the owners act as if their missing things never existed. Rumors of a new monster prowling the Hollow begin to swirl. But how can Rowan smoke out the culprit in a town full of secrets? And worse, how can Rowan trust beautiful, solemn Hadrian when every other word he speaks has the distinct burnt smell of a lie?


An Honored Vow cover

An Honored Vow

Author

Melissa Blair

Genres

Fantasy, Romantasy, Adult, LGBT

Series

The Halfling Saga #4

Publication date

January 7, 2025

This thrilling romantasy about kingโ€™s Blade, Keera, and her epic quest to avenge her lover, save her people, and bring down a tyrant king is the final installment of Melissa Blairโ€™s highly acclaimed series. The Halfling Saga showcases BIPOC and queer representation, love, passion, betrayal, magic, and great battles of the sword and the soul.

โ€œYour land is not the one you take; it is the one you die for.โ€

Keera has tried to keep her final promise to Brenna, the partner she was forced to kill to save a kingdomโ€”but that promise has led to the most difficult struggles of her life. Sheโ€™s been at war with her worst self while battling King Damien for the freedom of the Halflings, and sheโ€™s lost too many along the way. But when she finally breaks the last seal, unleashing the Fae magic thatโ€™s been hidden away for hundreds of years, the conflict seems to be turning in the Halflingsโ€™ favor.
ย 
Meanwhile, Keeraโ€™s discovery of a staggering secret about her lover and the kidnapping of one of her closest allies threatens to tip her back into darkness, but she has no time to rest. Opening the kingdomโ€™s magical seals has transformed Keera in ways even the wisest Fae elders could not have anticipated, and the return of an evil thought long vanquished throws their rescue plans into chaos. And with the kingdomโ€™s Halfling population suddenly posing a risk to the crown, the land is plunged into violence as the king begins a new blood purge. Keera and her allies must gather an army to meet Damienโ€™s forces in a final confrontation of epicโ€”and tragicโ€”proportions. ย 

The stunning conclusion of BookTok sensation Melissa Blairโ€™s epically romantic series will leave readers breathless as Keera fights for her land, her people, and the promise of a better world.


Mystery Royale cover

Mystery Royale

Author

Kaitlyn Cavalancia

Genres

Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Publication date

January 7, 2025

THE INHERITANCE GAMES meets HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE in this genre splicing YA fantastical mystery.

The only thing sixteen-year-old Mullory Prudence has left of her mom is a warning: “Run if the strange finds you.” But mysterious warnings donโ€™t pay the bills or help take care of her sick Gran. And they certainly donโ€™t make her miserable after-school job any more bearable. When unexpected letters start appearing in peculiar placesโ€“โ€“sealed in bags of dog food and hidden in the refrigeratorโ€“โ€“Mullory knows she should avoid them to heed her motherโ€™s warning, but her curiosity thinks otherwise. She uncovers an invitation from Stoutmire Estate to compete in a game of Mystery Royale for the chance at a sizable inheritance.

Dizzy with the prospect of billions, Mullory enters the game only to unearth the true prizeโ€“โ€“the illusionary magical properties of Xavier Stoutmire, a recluse without an heir. A recluse who was expected to keep his magic in the family, especially when there isnโ€™t enough for each member. With a prize worth killing for, the game is simple: be the first to solve the mysteryโ€“โ€“who killed Xavier Stoutmire? One week full of lavish parties dripping with enchantments, in a mansion brimming with clues of the past, and everyoneโ€™s a suspect. To win, Mullory will need to untangle a twisted family web and decide who she can trustโ€ฆ

Whitaker Stoutmire, the golden boy whoโ€™s harboring deadly secrets?

Ellison Stoutmire, his closed off twin, who saw something she shouldnโ€™t have?

Lyric Stoutmire the youngest sibling, exiled by the family and burning with resentment?

Or Mateo Cruz, the only other outsider whose reserved manner allows him to hide in the shadows… At least at first.

But most of all, Mullory must ask herself, why? Why her? A question most strange, indeed.


Schooled in Murder cover

Schooled in Murder

Author

Victoria Gilbert

Genres

Mystery, Cozy, Crime, Romance, Thriller

Series

Campus Sleuth Mysteries #1

Publication date

January 7, 2025

A mystery writer must solve a real murder case before an innocent girl is condemned in this series debut from acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert, perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Lorna Barrett.

Jennifer “Jen” Dalton is an author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia. She loves her job, but some of her petty coworkers look down on her for writing genre fiction. As members of the English department, they wish to encourage students to pursue higher literary aspirations. When a humiliating confrontation between an uppity professor and one of Jenโ€™s students, Mia, escalates, no one thinks much of it. Until his dead body is found along with evidence incriminating Mia.ย 

Jen knows Mia couldnโ€™t have killed him, but Miaโ€™s suspicious disappearance might as well be a proclamation of guilt. With the sleuthing skills Jen has acquired writing murder mysteries, sheโ€™s determined to solve the case and clear Miaโ€™s name.ย 

Along with the help of her fellow sleuthersโ€”Christine Kubiak, a cafeteria manager; Zachary Flynn, the charming but annoying campus psychologist; and Brianna Rowley, a librarianโ€”Jen must catch the real killer before thereโ€™s another murder on the books.


Single Player Cover

Single Player

Author

Tara Tai

Genres

Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Publication date

January 7, 2025

Two video game creators go head-to-head in this delightful, queer enemies-to-lovers workplace romance debut, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Helen Hoang.

Cat Li cares about two things: video games and swoony romances. The former means there hasn’t been much of the latter in her (real) life, but when she lands her dream job writing the love storylines forย Compass Hollowโ€”the next big thing in gamesโ€”she knows itโ€™s all been worth it. Then she meets her boss: the infamous Andi Zhang, whoโ€™s not only an arrogant hater of happily-ever-afters determined to keep Cat from doing her job but also impossibly, annoyingly hot.

Asย Compass Hollowโ€™sย narrative director, Andi couldnโ€™t care less about loveโ€”in-game or out. After getting doxxed by internet trolls three years ago, Andiโ€™s been trying to prove to the gaming world that theyโ€™re a serious gamedev. Their plan includes writing the best game possible, with zero lovey-dovey stuff. That is, until the man funding the gameโ€™s development insists Andi add romance in order to make the story โ€œmore appealing to female gamers.โ€

Forced to give Cat a chance, Andi begrudgingly realizes thereโ€™s more to Cat than romantic idealism and, okay, a cute smile. But admitting that would mean giving up the single-player life that has kept their heart safe for years. And when Cat uncovers a behind-the-scenes plot to destroy Andiโ€™s career, the two will have to put their differences aside and find a way to work together before itโ€™s game over.


The Devourer cover

The Devourer

Author

Alison Ames

Genres

Fantasy, Young Adult, Pirates, LGBT, Queer

Publication date

January 7, 2025

Adrasteia Dantes always knew sheโ€™d be a pirate captain. She just didnโ€™t know sheโ€™d be seventeen years old when it happened.

Adra takes the helm of the Worldeater after her half-brother Cameron attacks their father and steals a priceless treasure map. Now, the young captain has only one desire: revenge. She will restore her fatherโ€™s honor by killing her brother, reclaiming the map he stole, and finding the legendary treasure at the grave of the first pirate king.

But when Adra discovers her brotherโ€™s ship destroyed and his crew dead, spare a sole survivor, she learns thereโ€™s something lurking in the sea thatโ€™s killing pirates, taking entire ships down with ease. Adra takes the girl prisoner in hopes of tracking down Cameron, but no one will survive to see the treasure if they donโ€™t find and stop the Devourer first.

If Adra wants to save her ship, sheโ€™ll have to strike a deal to help the Devourer reclaim something that was taken from her long ago. But it seems that their individual quests for vengeance might be leading them to the same end…


You picking up anything this week? Did I miss anything? Let me know with a comment below!

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